The Centennial Boulevard extension, probably the most convoluted land-use matter on the Westside, reared its ugly head again this issue. Sorry about that. I should
probably create some kind of prize for the person who actually makes it to the end of the article and believes they've got it all figured out. But in a serious sense, it
truly does seem worthwhile to present pertinent aspects about a project that will likely affect most Westsiders' lives (not to mention livelihood, in the case of the
developers) over the coming years. As the saying goes, the devil is in the details, and that applies double for this project...
Whatever you may think of his medical marijuana comments at the Westside community center this week, Sean Paige always comes across as a genuine guy. No
waffling around like some politicians. And no question that he means what he says. But I just have to wonder whether someone who doesn't see a problem with
allowing the sale of medical marijuana in residential areas is the right person to be representing a district that includes so many established neighborhoods. Ever since
he was appointed, I always looked on Paige as more of a broad-brush type of thinker, not the type who would welcome delving into neighborhood issues the way his
predecessor, Jerry Heimlicher, did. I don't say that to be glib either. Paige did a great service to the Westside (in a broad-brush sort of way) by gaining council
approval for his out-of-the-box plan that carved out funding for the community center and Rock Ledge Ranch for the first quarter of this year, thus giving them time to
work out other plans...
Speaking of which, it would be real nice if a similar arrangement could come the ranch's way again this year. As Ron Wright points out in the story starting on Page 1,
volunteering at a high level is well and good but it's hard to maintain that indefinitely.